Typewriting machine



J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE I Filed May 23. 1924 swdw m Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE A. B. SMITH, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITING mcn'mn.

Application filed May 23,

chines for writing checks or similar instrw' ments, and for making a copy on a recordsheet of a part of the matter typed on each check of a series, the same being an improvement on my co-pending-application, Serial No. 680,154, filed December 12, 1923.

One of the usual lines typed upon a check 0 consists of the name of the payee together with the numerals indicating the amount for which the check is drawn, while the other line or lines include the amount for which the check is drawn. spelled out in full, and other data. It is desirable on the record to copy only the name of the payee and the amount of the check in numerals.

The usual carbon copies are not sufiiciently permanent to suit all purposes, as the impressions are easily smeared and worn off, besides not being clear and lasting. It is therefore one of the features of the invention to provide, in addition to the usual ribbon mechanism for typewriting on the faces of the checks, an auxiliary or duplicating ribbon behind the checks, but in front of the record sheet, and mechanism is also provided to move the auxiliary ribbon to and from its effective position.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, provision is made of a manuallyoperable handle arranged to be effective when moved in one direction to raise the auxiliary ribbon-carrying frame, thus moving the auxiliary ribbon to ineffective position. the handle being effective at a single stroke, when actuated in the reverse direction, to perform the dual function of restoring the auxiliary ribbon to an effective position and feeding it longitudinally across the printing point. Y

It is a further feature to provide a connection between the feed-roll release lever and auxiliary ribbon-carrying frame arranged to positively and directly lower the ribbon into effective position upon moving the lever upward to clamp the feed-rolls against the platen, the lever being inoperative with respect tothe frame and ribbon when moved downwardly to release the rolls from the platen.

Another aim is to provide an auxiliary 1924. Serial No. 715,280.

ribbon with a shield held stressed at its ends 'by resilient orelastic supports, the shield being of a fragile nature, as, for instance, a strip of paper stretched across the front of the auxiliary ribbon to prevent thetype impressions from appearing on the "back of the checks. Due to the location of the axis about which the ribbon-carrying 'frame is oscillated, the auxiliary ribbon when moved to its ineffective position is carried away from the platen by its end supports, but because of contact with the paper-fingers its central portion is held relatively close to the platen, stretching the ribbon and stressing'the shield sufficiently to tear the same" I except for the resiliency of its supports or interponents, which allow the shield to bulge or protrude from said supports toward the platen when the ribbon and shield are moved upwardly to an ineffective position.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a partial front elevational view of the upper portion of a typewriting machine, showing the invention as applied, parts being broken away to disclose the construction.

Figure 2 is a side elevation as seen from the right-hand end of the machine, showing the auxiliary ribbon in an ineffective positionand the feed-rolls as released from the platen.

Figure 3 is .a similar view, partially in section, taken in a plane further to the left than Figure 2, showing the auxiliary ribbon and its associated parts in normal operative positions, with the ribbon raising and feed ing handle shown'in dot-and-dash lines when moved to feed the ribbon.

Figure 4 is a partial transverse sectional view taken through the platen in a. plane near the center thereof, the view 'omltting many of the details, being diagrammatic in character.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the preferred relat ve arrangement of the auxiliary ribbon and its shield, together with one of the yieldable end supports therefor. y

Figure 6 is apartial plan and partial sectional view of the left-hand end shield support and auxiliary ribbon.

common in the well-known Underwood ma Figure 8 is a. miniature diagrammatic view, illustrating the relative position of the platen, auxiliary ribbon and shield with its supports in effective position.

. Figure 9 is a similar View of the sameparts, but shown man ineffectlve position.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the usual typewriter ribbon actuated and controlled as guide or shelf, cut away to provide open journaled in brackets 29 attached to the pose' of inserting ings for the paper feed-rollers 17.

These rollers are mounted upon rods resting in bell-crank arms 18 pivoted upon a rod 19 journaled in the platen-frame sides 15, the other downwardly-extending arms 20 being arranged in close relation, and 113V: ing between them a cam 21, actuated by a link 22 pivotally engaged with a connecting bar 23 pivoted to the inner offset por tion 24 of a release lever 25. The release lever 25 is connected with the element 24 by a stud 26 rotatively mounted in the platen-frame sides, and extends forwardly into a position for convenient operatiom Adjacent the top of the platen 12 is a paper-finger-carrying rod 27 having rigid.

connections 28 at its ends, forwardly looped to clear certain parts ofthe machine, the

outer ends of the looped elements being platen-frame sides 15, and provided with spring-pressed keys 30 to normally maintain the rod 27 in sucha position that paperfingers 31 carried thereon are held pressed against the surface of the platen, but permit forced oscillation of the rod and consequent raising of the fingers for the puror adjusting the paper sheets to be typed.

Theser paper-fingers are provided with rolls 31 pressin upon the inner or recordreceiving sheet, esi ated by the character B (see Figure 4), disposed directly against the platen 12, the outer sheet A passing between the paper-fingers as shown and being guided laterally by them.

A rock-shaft 32, journaled in the platenframe sides 15, has rigidly fixed upon its ends an auxiliary ribbon frame comprising end plates 33 carrying studs 34 at their lip-- pivotedon a lever handle 38 and the other, at the left, on a disk 39. These pawls are raised and lowered alternately, relative to the teeth of their corresponding ratchetwheels by means not shown, but which form the subject-matter of the co-pending application of Alfred G. F. Kurow'ski, Serial No. 690,705, filed February 5, 1924.

The lever handle 38 and disk 39 are rigidly engaged upon hub bushings 40 fixed on the ends of a sleeve 41, which is rotatable independently on the rock-shaft 32 by the handle 38, the handle'having, near its axis, a projection carrying a, fixed pin 42 movable in a slot .43 formed in the right-hand plate 33 of the ribbon frame, .for the purpose of permitting a ribbon-feed movement of thelever, and a tension spring 44, fixed to the pin 42, acts to restore the handle after it has been depressed. A pin 46 is fixedon v the plate 33 to oscillate the frame upon the rock-shaft when the handle 38 is moved to its extreme rearward position, as shown in Figure 2. r

In moving the handle 38 toward the front, into the full-line position shown in Figure 3, the ribbon-spool frame will be rocked forward, which movement causes one of the ratchet-wheels 36 to engage its corresponding pawl 37, selectively raised into operative position by means not shown, and a further forward movement of the handle, to the dot-and-dash line position shown in Figure 3, causes rotation of the ribbon-spools.

An outstanding lug 47 set in the face of the handle 38 is engaged by a pin 48 fixed in a dog 49 pivoted on the extreme outer end of the release lever element 24, the dog 49 having an outwardly-bent ear 5 0 normally held against the upper edge of the release lever 24 by a spring- 51. ing, it will be understood that when the handle 38 has been moved to its extreme rearward position and the feed-roll release lever 25 is thereafter depressed, the pin 48 will engage the underface of the lug 47, swinging the dog upon its pivot, and eventually trip ping over said lug and releasing the pin, which thus assumes a position above the lug 47. Now upon raising the fingerpiece of the lever 25, the pin 48 will contact with the upper face of the lug 47 and, due to the holding of the ear 50, will press; downwardly upon the lug 47, thereby returning the ribbon frame to effective position and oscillating the handle 38 upon its axis, to cause rotation of the ribbon-spools 35 and a consequentfeeding of the auxiliary ribbon 62. As the pin 48 reaches the limit of its downward stroke it slips off the edge of the lug 47 and assumes a position below the lug, the handle 38 being urged to normal position under action of the tension spring 44. (See dot-and-dash position of lug 47 in Figure 3.)

On the right hand of the rock-shaft 32 is From the foregoan arm 53 carrying a roller 54 engageable 'with a rearwardly-projecting portion of the adjacent plate 33, this arm limiting the upward movement of the auxiliary ribbon spool frame. Fixed to the bushings 'are cam members extending rearwardly, and each is provided with a pair of spaced recesses 56 and 57, respectively, suited to engage a roller 58 rotatably mounted on the end of an arm 59, pivoted at 60 to projecting brackets 61 extending from the platen-frame sides 15, these cam members determining the effective and ineffective positions of the auxiliary ribbon 62in an obvious manner,

This ribbon 62 is mounted on the spools 35 to pass over guide-rollers 63, and thence through smoothly finished angular guide slots 64 in the lower front part of brackets 65 secured to the ribbon frame plates 33,

[openly bowed to provide a suitable degree of resiliency. Loops 66 are carried upon the ends 71.and set-screws 68 are eifectlve. to clamp the ends of the ribbon-shield 70 between the gibs 67 and the ends 71.- The op-- posite ends -7 3 of the springs being secured by screws '74 tothe inner walls 65 ofthe brackets 65 at a point opposite the set-screws 68. Thus it will be seen that upon stressing the shield 70, the springs 72 will yield, avoid ing fracture of the shield under ordinary working conditions; the relative posit1o'ns of the platen, auxiliary ribbon and 1ts supports are diagrammatically shown in Figures 8 and 9, and also in the-transverse sectional xview Figure 4, which clearly illustrates the position of the outside paper-sheet A and copy-receiving sheet B, when the auxlhary ribbon is in its ineffective or raised position.

In the modification shown in Figure 7, the auxiliary ribbon 62 is shown inrelatron to the rollers 63 and brackets 65 in an identical -manner with that described in the foregoing,

but in place of the loops 66 there is attached to the lower end of each of the brackets 65 a plate 7 5 provided with a slot 76 near its outer edge, this slot being engageable with a hook 7 7 secured to an elastic element 78, such, for instance, as a rubber strap or flat tension spring, directly nd positively with the shield 70.

In both structures it will be noted that the auxiliary ribbon and shield are closely constrained against the platen at all times,

whether in effective or ineffective position;

agld having its opposite end engagedthus avoiding fouling or entanglement by I the outer sheet in entering it to be typed.

i As the axis of oscillation of the auxiliary carrying frame is at a point above and rearward of the axis of the platen, it follows that the supports at'the ends of the ribbon and shield swing away from the platen as they are raised, causing the ribbon'to stretch in order to accommodate itself to the condition, and entails the necessity of providing yielding, elastic mounts for the fragile and nonstretchable' shield, as herein described, and which adequately fulfill their functions.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a revoluble platen, a main ribbon for typing upon an outside work-piece, ,a feedable auxiliary ribbon, extending along the platen, for typing upon a work-piece disposed between said outside work-piece and the platen, a support for the auxiliary ribtyping upon an outside work-piece, a feedable auxiliary ribbon, extending along the platen, for typing upon a work-piece disposed between said outside'work-piece and the platen, supports for said auxiliary ribbon, said supports being shiftable eccentrically to the platen and away therefrom, a

shield shifting with said auxiliary ribbon and interposed between the same and the outer work-piece, means for confining said auxiliary ribbon and the shield so as to follow, the curvature of the platen at substantially printing distance therefrom as the supports shift said auxiliary ribbon and the shield to non-printing position, means for feeding said auxiliary \ribbon along said platen, feed-rolls, a feed-roll-release lever, and devices associated with the auxiliary ribhon-feeding means and said lever and opermove the auxiliary ribbon from non-printing to printing position and also to cause said ribbon-feeding means to feed said auxil-; iary ribbon along said platen.-

3. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a revoluble platen, a. main ribbon for typing upon an outside work-piece, an aux- "able by the latter to shift said supports to &

v iliary ribbon for. typing upon a work-piece disposed between -said outside work-piece and the platen, feed-rolls normally engaging the platen, means for releasing or applying said feed-rolls, supports for said auxiliar ribbon, said supports moving eccentrical y to the platen and away therefrom when shiftin said auxiliary ribbon from effective to ineffective position, a shield shiftng with said auxiliary ribbon and interposed between the same and the outside Work-piece,

.means for confining said auxiliary ribbon,

the shield and the selcond-named work-piece closely to the platen during shifting operations, means associated with the feed-rollcontrolling means and the auxiliary ribbonsupports whereby to shift said auxiliary ribbon to effective position upon applying the feed-rolls to the platen, and yielding means associated with said shield forprevcnting rupture thereof as said auxiliary ribbon and the shield move to ineffective positions under the control of said confining means.

4. In a typewriting machine, an auxiliary ribbon, a. fragile shield spaced closely parallel in front of said ribbon, springs having pairs of arms, one each of the arms being rigidly fixed and the other free, clamp elements carried at the free ends of said springs, said clamps being receivable of the ends of the shield, gibs loosely engaged in said clamps, and screws in said clamps to press the gibs into holding contact with the entered ends of the shield.

5. In a typewriting machine, a platen, an auxiliary ribbon, afragile shield spaced closely parallel in front of said ribbon, a pair of supports shiftable eecentrically to the platen, elas tic members intervening the ends of said shield and said supports, and means for causing said ribbon and said shield to follow the curvature of the platen at substantially printing distance therefrom in all positions of said supports.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen-carrying frame, a main ribbon and operating means therefor, of an auxiliary ribbon having aframe displaceably mounted on an axis eccentric to the axis of the platen,-a shield for said auxiliary ribbon, resilient connections for the shield carried by the auxiliary ribbon-frame, means for oscillating the. last-named frame into or vout of'an effective position relative to the nfain, ribbon, and means for causing said auxiliary ribbon and the shield to follow the curvature of the platen at substantially printing distance therefrom during such oscillation. v

7- In a typewriting machine,-the combination with a platen carrying frame, a main ribbon, feed rolls, and a lever for moving; the feed rolls relative to the, platen, of an auxiliary ribbon having a frame pivoted to the platen frame, an inelastic fragileshield for the auxiliary ribbon, resilient supports oscillating the auxiliary ribbonframe'into I effective position coincidentally upon restoring the feed rolls to the platen.

8. In a typewriting'. machine, the combination Witha platen carrying frame, a main ribbon, feed rolls, and a leverv for moving the feed rollsrelative to the platen, of an aux-- iliary ribbon having a frame pivoted'tothe platen frame, a shield in front of said auxiliary ribbon carried on the frame thereof, a handle for oscillating the last named frame into either of its two-predetermined positions, a lug on said handle, a dog pivoted on the feed roll control lever, and means associated with said dog causingv operative engagement with said lug upon the up-stroke of said lever, said dog being inoperative at the down-stroke of the lever. i

9. In a typewriting machine, the co -bina-' tion with a platen, a frame therefor, feed rolls for the platen, an operating lever for the feed rolls, a main ribbon and an aux iliary ribbon, of asupport frame for" the auxiliary ribbon pivotally mounted'on the platen frame, a handle for oscillating the 10. In a typewriting machine, the conibination with a platen, a frametherefor, feed rolls for the platen, an operating lever for the feed rolls, a main ribbon, and an aux--' iliary ribbon, of a support frame for the auxiliary ribbon pivotally mounted,on the ribbon frame into effective or ineffective positions. relatlve to the prlnting point, means for maintaining said ribbon frame in either of its adjusted positions, a lug on said handle, means for resiliently retaining the han- 'dle. in a normally raised position, and a spring-pressed dog pivoted on said lever, said doghavinga stop engaging the lever and a part'projeeting to engage said lug when the lever is oscillated, said dog yielding upon contact with the lug when the lever is moved to release the rolls and rigid when making contact with the lug during roll restoring movement of the lever, said dog being out of the path f the lug when said lever is in either of its extreme positions. I

11. In a typewriting machine, the cpmbi platen frame, a handle for oscillating the nation with a revoluble platen, resilient paper fingers associated therewith and a main ribbon for writing upon an outside sheet, of an auxiliary ribbon for Writing upon an inside sheet, means for moving the auxiliary ribbon into effective and ineffective positions, a shield disposed over said auxiliary ribbon, said shield moving therewith, said auxiliary ribbon and shield being held by,said fingers closely to the platen irrespective of their positions, and elastic supports for the shield permitting it to yield inaccordance with the stretch of the auxiliary ribbon when in ineffective position.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen, feed rolls cooperative therewith, a lever controlling the feed rolls, and a main ribbon for writing upon an outside sheet, of an auxiliary ribbon disposed behind the outside sheet for writing upon an inside sheet, a handle to move the auxiliary ribbon to an ineffective position, means on said lever operative when restoring the feed rolls to actuate said handle rendering the auxiliary ribbon effective. and a spring-stressed shield disposed over the'outer surface of the auxiliary ribbon.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen, resilient paper fingers associated therewith, and a main ribbon for writing upon an outside sheet, of an auxiliary ribbon for writing upon an inside sheet, means for moving the auxiliary ribbon into effective and ineffective positions, a shield .disposed over said auxiliary ribbon, said shield moving therewith, rolls on the paper fingers to clamp the inside sheet upon the platen, said paper fingers normally retaining the auxiliary ribbon andshield relatively close thereagainst in any position they may assume, and means for elastically supporting the shield to permit it to follow the auxiliary ribbon without fracture.

14. In a typewriting machine, the combination with arevoluble platen, paper fingers thereover, and a main ribbon for-writing upon an outside sheet, of an auxiliary rib bon for writing upon an inside sheet, a shield disposed over the outer side of the-auxiliary ribbon, supports for said auxiliary ribbon and shield, said supports being movable eccentrically to the platen, said paper fingers.

confining the auxiliary ribbon and shield closely to the platen, means for oscillating said supports to bring the ribbon into effective and ineffective positions, and intervening resilient means between the ends of the shield and its supports.

1,5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble"platen,,feed rolls co-operative therewith, a lever controlling the feed rolls, and a main ribbon for writing upon an outside sheet, of an auxiliary ribbon disposed behind the outside sheet for writing upon an inside sheet, when inter posed'between the main ribbon and platen, a frame carrying said auxiliary ribbon, said frame being pivoted on a different axis from that of the platen, a handle for oscillating said frame to move the auxiliary ribbon into typing or non-typing positions, a dog piv oted on the feed roll control lever, said dog' being ineffective to swingthe ribbon frame when the lever releases the feed rolls, but effective to swing the ribbon framefinto typing position when the lever applies therolls, a shield for the auxiliary ribbon, and elastic connections between the ends of said shield and the ribbon frame.

16. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a-revoluble platen, regular ribbom mechanism, an auxiliary ribbon, a shield covering one side of said auxiliary ribbon, movable supports mounted eccentrica'lly to the axis. of the platen and operable to shift the auxiliary ribbon and the shield into or out of the typing "zone, confining means beneath which said ribbon and the shield move duringshifting operations, and yieldable meanssforming connections between the opposite ends of the shield and the adjacent supports, for preventing rupture of said shield as; it moves with the ribbon to any position under the control of said confining means. 7

17.- In a typewriting machine, in combination, a'revoluble platen, regular ribbonmechanism, an auxiliary ribbon, movable supports mounted eccentrically to the axis of the platen and operable to shift the auxiliary I'lbbOIl into or out of the typing zone, a shield for the ribbon, elastic strips connecting the supports with the opposite ends of the shield, and means for confining the ribbon and the shield closely to the platen in all positions to which the supports are moved, said strips preventing rupture ofthe shield during such movement.

18. In a typewriting machine, in combina- 1 tion, a revoluble platen, a displaceable support, a ribbon carried by'the support and extending along the platen at the printing line, means for feeding the ribbon, feed-rolls, a feed-roll release lever, and devices associated with the ribbon-feeding means and said release lever and operable by the latter to shift said support to restore the ribbon from a displaced position away from the printing line to a position at the printing line, and also efi'eet-ive to feed the ribbon along the platen as, said I ribbon is restored to said printing line.

19. Ina typewrlting machine, in combination, a revoluble platen, a displaceable support, a feedable ribbon carried by the support and ormally extending along the platen at the printing line, a ribbon-supply spool and a take-up spool carried by the support, means for operating said spools, where' by to feed the ribbon along the platen, the support being displaceable to shift the ribbon with .the spools to non-printing position, feed-r0 devices associated with the ribbon-feeding *means and the release lever and operable by tholatter to cause the spool-operating means to feed the ribbon along the platen and also to .move the support in a manner to restore the ribbon to the printing line.

20. In a typewriting machine,-in combination, a revoluble platen, regular ribbonmechanisn'i, displaceable supports, an aux iliary ribbon carried by said supports and normally extending alongthe platen at the printing line, the supports being effective when displaced to remove the auxiliary ribbon from the printing line, a'shield interposedbetween the auxiliary ribbon and the main ribbon, said'shield including elastic elements at the opposite ends thereof and,

hooks carried at the ends of said elastic elements and engaging perforations in said supports, whereby to hold the shield tensioned in front of the auxiliary ribbon, and means for confining said ribbon and the shield to a feedroll release lever, and

the curvature of the platen as the supports v shift said ribbon and the shield from the printing line.

21. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a revoluble platen, regular -ribbon mechanism,-a displaceable support, an auxiliary ribbon carried by said support and normally extending along the platen at the printing line, the support being effectivewhen displaced to remove the auxiliary ribbon from the printing line, a shield intermain ribbon, said shield including elastic elements at the opposite ends thereof and hooks carried at the ends of said elastic elements and engaging perforations in said support, whereby to hold the shield tensioned in front ,of the auxiliary ribbon, and

printing line.

' JESSE A. B. SMITH.

posed between the auxiliary ribbon and the 

